Raphinha has admitted that he considered leaving Barcelona during last summer’s transfer window, but the Catalan outfit’s incoming head coach Hansi Flick convinced him to remain at Camp Nou.
The Brazil international had an underwhelming 2023-24 season for Barcelona, only managing 10 goals and 13 assists in 37 matches in all competitions, and there was speculation surrounding his future last year.
The 28-year-old has revealed that he gave serious consideration to leaving Camp Nou last year, but a conversation with incoming manager Flick played a major role in him deciding to stay with the club.
“I was thinking about leaving Barcelona after the Copa America because I wasn’t psychologically comfortable until Flick called me,” Raphinha told reporters while on international duty with Brazil.
“That stage was very hectic. Every day we hear news that I’m going to join one team or another. Things didn’t go as they should have, I had a worse season than expected and I saw people calling for me to leave and every day there was news of my departure.
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Raphinha: ‘Flick convinced me to stay at Barcelona’
“I seriously thought about leaving. Flick called me and asked me to come to training before deciding because he wanted to talk to me and was counting on me. That was a turning point in my decision to stay.
“I spoke to my wife and told her: If this man is fair and sees the effort I put in in training, I’ll make him love me in a week and he won’t regret it and I think I was right.
“The mental aspect is even more important than just taking care of your body. If your head isn’t right, your body won’t respond as it should.
“In the middle of last season, after my injury, I intensified my work with the psychologist, and all of that helped me a lot and made me understand my place not only in football but in life, as a man, as a father and as a husband.
“I think this aspect is much more important than just taking care of the body.”
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Raphinha has been in outstanding form for Barcelona this season
Raphinha has been one of the outstanding players in world football during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring 27 times and registering 20 assists in 42 appearances in all competitions.
The Brazilian has 13 goals and 10 assists in 27 La Liga matches, but his form in the Champions League has been at another level, managing 11 goals and five assists in 10 appearances in this season’s competition.
“Honestly, the Ballon d’Or is not a personal goal,” he added when questioned on the award. “My goals are to score goals, provide assists, and win titles with Barcelona and the national team. When things are going well for club and country, individuals naturally shine.”
Barcelona are fighting for a treble in the latter stages of the campaign, and Raphinha is undoubtedly now one of the first names on the teamsheet, forming a devastating front three with Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal.
